Project: VDS House – Renovated 1960s Apartment
Architecture: 02A Studio
Team: Marco Rulli, Matilde Masi
Location: Rome, Italy
Area: 130 m2
Year: 2024
Photo Credits: Paolo Fusco
VDS House by 02A Studio transforms a 1960s apartment in Conca D’Oro, Rome, into a refined, contemporary home. Consequently, this renovation honors the building’s rational structure while introducing bold gestures and thoughtful interventions.
Preserving the Original Rhythm
First, the apartment’s well-composed layout remained largely intact. However, the kitchen and bathrooms were reorganized to improve flow. Moreover, circulation was rethought without disrupting the architectural rhythm set by the cruciform concrete pillars and brick-patterned façade.
Defining Zones with Wallpapered Boiserie
Next, the long hallway splits into two distinct zones. Thus, bold, decorative boiserie marks the entrance to shared spaces. Meanwhile, a more serene, measured pattern guides you toward the private quarters—creating a clear yet subtle transition.
Sculptural Moments and Color Palette
In the middle of the plan, two diamond-shaped openings framed in lacquer-red glass link the apartment’s dual exposures. Furthermore, preserved terrazzo floors and bardiglio marble baseboards inspired a living-area palette of cerulean and dusty grey. Then, an ornamental plaster ceiling adds rhythm and depth, balancing the façade’s irregular geometry.
Intimate and Functional Bathrooms
Meanwhile, the guest bathroom embraces warm autumnal tones—rust-colored tiles, peach walls, and natural brass fixtures—echoing the terrazzo floor’s nostalgia. In contrast, the second bathroom adopts a cooler, minimalist aesthetic. Consequently, its precise geometry and restrained palette lend the space an elegant, almost ascetic clarity.
Ultimately, VDS House feels effortlessly resolved. Although each design choice is decisive, none overwhelm. Instead, they grow naturally from a dialogue with the building’s existing identity. Therefore, VDS House stands as a model of how respectful renovation can tune a mid-century home perfectly for the present.
